Blue's Moving Castle
by WhiteOwl74
Summary: Leaf Verde is a hatter until she meets up with a mysterious man that sparks the beginning of a marvelous adventure. Turned into a Pokemorph and her partner evolved, Leaf sets out to travel and comes across Blue's Castle, belonging to a wizard. There, can Leaf learn to break her spell along with anothers? LeafGreenshipping!
1. A Meeting

**Blue's Moving Castle**

**Greetings and salutations, fellow readers and writers! It's WhiteOwl74 again, this time bringing another Pokémon and Studio Ghibli production; this time…Howl's Moving Castle featuring LeafGreenshipping! As I got no results from the poll by my deadline, I picked out the one I thought would best suit the story. Hopefully it turns out well. And enjoy the writing!**

**Chapter 1: A Meeting**

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Far away in the lands of Kanto, a large metal structure was walking all by itself. It was a hulking mess, with pipes belching out smoke as metal limbs moved the building forward. It passed through the clouds and a small farm, heading for a large city.

The city was a bustling place, complete with four different bus systems and a train station. The train at the moment was heading for the station and traveled underneath a small bridge, its smoke passing by a little window.

Inside the window, bent over her work, was a girl in her late teens. Her long brown hair fell a little after her waist as her green eyes followed her sewing needle as she eased it through a hat, intent on her work. An Eevee was perched on a stack of undecorated hats besides her, making sure its owner never missed a stich. The hat she was working on was pink with a purple band and several pink flowers and she teased the needle through to the tick of a clock.

A knock sounded at the open door. The girl and Eevee looked up.

"Leaf! We just closed up. You've done enough work today," a fellow worker told her, a Mareep at her side. "You should come out with us tonight."

"Come on Leaf," another girl cried from the other workroom, where she and a few others were setting aside their finished hats.

"You work too hard, Leaf," a girl with brown braids added.

"No thanks," Leaf said with a smile. She gestured to her hat as she continued, "I still have to finish this. I'll lock up, don't worry."

"Okay, but come with us next time. Let's go," the first girl said, heading for the door.

"I'm ready."

"Yeah!"

"Wait! Is that Blue's Castle?!" a girl shouted as she pointed at out the window.

"Wha?"

"Blue?"

"I've never seen it this close before!"

The others girls rushed over and peaked out the window. Leaf and her Eevee looked out of theirs. Through it and the bank of clouds, she could just make out a mechanical structure that moved on the far hill. Then it disappeared into the clouds.

"He's gone," moaned one girl. Leaf sighed and continued to work. Just because a wizard was nearby it didn't mean she was done with this hat.

"No he's not; he's just hiding from the planes."

"Do you think he'll be in town?"

"Did you hear about that girl, Martha from Johto? They say Blue tore out her heart!" another girl said.

"Now I'm too scared to go out," whispered the girl with brown braids.

"Don't worry, Blue only preys on the _pretty _girls," one girl told her with a laugh.

The girl with the brown braids ran out of the room, clutching her hat as her Chansey followed. "You guys are mean!"

Laughing, all the other girls left the craft shop, leaving Leaf and her Eevee alone. She picked up a pine cone and showed it to her companion. "What do you think, Vesper? Too much? To simple?"

Vesper cocked her head and gazed at the hat and the pinecone. She shook her head twice, then nodded. Leaf smiled as she sewed the pinecone to the hat. Vesper had a great sense of style and they always managed to talk to each other, despite the fact Leaf couldn't understand her.

"And done~" Leaf said with a flourish as she snipped the thread off. She regarded the hat carefully, before placing it onto a hat stand. She picked up another hat and looked it over. She sighed and set it aside.

"Ready to go for a walk, girl?" Leaf asked Vesper as she stood up. The Eevee stretched before hopping onto the ground. Leaf took off her apron and set it aside before plucking up her own hat, a pale green with an emerald ribbon and a trio of blue berries. They two exited the work room and headed down the steps into the courtyard. Several planes flew overhead as Leaf entered the shop where her mother and she sold their hats.

Leaf paused in front of the three-way mirror and examined herself. A slim girl in a plain green dress stood in front of her, brown hair falling to her waist with green eyes and an Eevee on her shoulder. Vesper smiled slightly, Leaf was pretty in a simple way. Leaf gave a giggled before scowling and pulling her hat down a bit before she left the shop.

White stepped out into the lovely summer day and locked the door. Everyone around her was in a happy mood. A neighboring's kingdom's prince was visiting and there was to be a spectacular parade. Leaf and Vesper walked together throughout the busy streets, intent on seeing Leaf's younger sister, Yellow, who worked in a bakery as well as Gloss, her Espeon who happened to be Vesper's sister too.

Leaf reached the bus station that would take her to the bakery. The bus was all full so Leaf, Vesper on her shoulder, grabbed hold of the side of the bus and stood on the stairs that led inside. Off the bus went, spewing smoke into the sky.

In the main streets of the city, the parade was beginning with fanfare, soldiers dressed in blue and red with their Pokémon besides them marching in the streets, carrying banners and flags. Flowers and confetti were thrown in the air as the royal planes carrying the foreign prince flew above.

Leaf and Vesper ignored the festivities and continued on their way. Leaf walked through a narrow street and glanced over to see a soldier and his Arcanine. Leaf gasped, surprised to see him, before quickly turning away. He glanced over to her and he and his Partner watched the pair hurry off.

Leaf was relieved when she had left the soldier's line of view. She looked around and spotted the parade still going on. Vesper sniffed the air, smelling some tasty food. She poked Leaf's head and sniffed the air again before letting a bit of drool coming out of the corner of her mouth before she cleaned it up.

"Well get something at the bakery," Leaf promised her partner, who grinned as they set out again.

Leaf took out a small list as she walked, checking to see if she should pick anything up while she was out. She looked up to find herself in front of a soldier who was leaning against the wall, his eyes inches from her own.

"Hey there, looks like a little Eevee and its Trainer lost their way," he said flirtatiously. His own Partner, a male Manectric, winked at Vesper, who growled.

"No, we're not lost," Leaf said, shaking her head.

"This little Trainer looks thirsty," the first soldier said to a second, this one with a dark mustache and a Linoone. "We should take her for a cup of tea."

"No thanks, my sister is expecting us," Leaf said, staring at the ground.

"Ya' know, she's actually pretty cute," the mustached man said, bending down a bit to look into Leaf's face. "Her eyes are like emeralds."

"Yeah, hey, do you live around here? How old are you?" the first man asked.

Leaf flushed, highly embarrassed, before she narrowed her eyes. Vesper's fur fluffed up in anger at these soldiers and their Pokémon. "Leave us alone!" Leaf shouted.

"Ha! I told you your mustache scares all the girls," the first soldier said to his friend.

"So I think she's even cuter when she's scared."

Leaf was worried. What was going to happen now?

"There you are sweetheart, I've been looking everywhere for you," a male voice said, surprising Leaf, Vesper, the soldiers, and their Pokémon.

Leaf froze as a hand was placed onto her shoulder. A tall young man with blond hair stood next to her, no one she knew, least of all who would call her "sweetheart". Vesper was going to bite this stranger when the man's Pokémon settled down next to her. It was an extremely suave-looking Flareon, who twinned its tail in Vesper's. It turned it head to her and smiled. Vesper's jaw dropped slightly.

"Aiden has certainly been searching pretty hard too," the man remarked to Leaf, still holding onto her shoulder gently.

"Hey! We're busy here," the first soldier told the stranger, his Manectric growling threateningly at the Flareon, who's name must be Aiden probably.

"Really? It looked like you four were leaving," the man remarked. He lifted a hand and suddenly the soldier and Pokémon were in attention, much to their surprise. He waved his hand and all of them started to walk away, adding to their confusion.

"Hey!"

"What the f***?!"

They went past Leaf and she looked back at them marching away, surprised beyond anything.

"Don't blame them," the man said. Leaf turned back towards him. "They really aren't so bad. Where to? I'll be your escort for the evening, as Aiden will be for your Eevee."

"Uh…We were just heading to the bakery," Leaf said, staring at the man. He had blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a white shirt, black pants, and a jacket that was draped over his shoulders. Aiden jumped onto his left shoulder while Vesper jumped onto Leaf's right.

He extended his arm to her and she nervously wrapped hers to his. "Just to let you know, I'm being followed. Just act natural," he said, leading her forward. Leaf's eyes widened slightly and Vesper's fur fluffed up again.

The stranger led them all forward at a steady normal pace. He seemed relaxed despite what he had just said to Leaf. Behind the two humans, Muks and Grimers leaked from the cracks, wearing white hats with blue bands. Leaf managed to keep a semi-calm face as she watched them from the corner of her eye.

"Sorry, looks like I've gotten you involved," the man told Leaf, who gulped and clung tighter to his arm. Vesper hissed at the following Pokémon when Aiden gave a comforting growl to her, quieting her.

There were more of these Pokémon up ahead too, blocking their path.

"This way," the man said to Leaf, leading into a sharp turn and quickly walking down the smaller street. The Pokémon turned after them too. And far in front, more of them appeared, blocking the way yet again.

"Hold on!" the man shouted as he wrapped an arm around Leaf's waist before he launched themselves into the air, the Muks and Grimers crashing into each other below them. Leaf blinked furiously as she could see the ground getting farther and farther away. "Now, just straighten your legs and walk," the man told Leaf as he held both her hands as he began to walk in the air.

Leaf, not knowing what else to do, did as he said and nervously stepped forward; surprised to see she was floating in the air with him. Aiden jumped from his shoulder and walked with them, calling out for Vesper to join him. She hopped down and bounded besides the Flareon, amazed at everything.

"See, not so hard is it?" the man asked her.

Far below them, Leaf could see the town square full of people and soldiers dancing and having a good time. She was led down across the roof of a building, her feet not hitting the tile. The man let out a little laugh before turning to her.

"You are a natural!" the man told her, making Leaf smile.

The pair of them stepped on the rounded top of the roof before walking above the large party taking place, no one below them looking up. Before long, the man had landed on the railing to the bakery and gently whisked Leaf onto the balcony. Aiden landed besides his master while Vesper stuck the landing on Leaf's shoulder.

"Now, I'll be sure to lead them off, so wait awhile before you head outside," he asked her, releasing her hand.

"'Kay," Leaf replied to him, smiling slightly.

"That's my girl," he said, his smile plastered on his face. Suddenly, he and Aiden leaped backwards and fell down. Leaf let out a gasp and rushed to the railing, searching to see if he had crashed, but to her wondered eyes, she saw nothing of the man who had saved her.

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Inside the bakery, the counter was extremely busy as many men were talking and calling out to the young woman working behind the counter. She had long, silky blonde hair and pretty brown eyes and wore a pink dress with a frilly white apron. Her Pokémon, a beautiful Espeon with a white bow around its throat sat on the counter, pushing boxes of sweets to the different customers, often becoming distracted by the various male Pokémon that kept talking to her.

"Hey Yellow, got any chocolate cookies?" a man asked her.

"I'd buy some of those!" another shouted.

"Here you go," Yellow said, passing a nicely wrapped box to the man with a warm smile.

"What time do you get off?" another man called to her.

Another woman, also dressed in pink and an apron, hurried up to Yellow and whispered something furiously in her ear. Her brown eyes widened in surprise.

"She what? Come on Gloss!"

With that, human girl and Pokémon raced to the end of the counter and someone opened it up for her. The two dashed off, much to the men's surprise.

They hurried up the stairs and turned the corner. Leaf stood at the window, checking for any sign of the man who had rescued her, Vesper looking for his companion.

"Leaf!" Yellow called out, taking her older sister's hands.

"Yellow," Leaf said surprised as Gloss rushed up to Vesper, who was, ironically enough, the elder of the two.

"Leaf! Someone told me that you floated down onto the balcony!" Yellow cried, concern written on her face.

"So it did happen…I knew it wasn't a dream," Leaf said with a sad sigh.

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In the storage room, just off to the side of the bakery's kitchen, Yellow and Leaf sat on boxes on ingredients. Leaf was just finishing up her tale to her sister, detailing every moment since she had met the mysterious man.

"Wow…He must have been a wizard," Yellow declared, Gloss nodding.

"But he was so kind…He saved me Yellow," Leaf said, staring off.

"Well yes! He was after your heart, Leaf! You should be more careful, if that wizard was Blue, he'd have eaten it," Yellow said full of concern.

_This Aiden sounds like the wizard's Pokémon, Vesp, _Gloss told her older sister. _He would have gobbled your heart down for lunch!_

_Don't be a twit, sis! _Vesper said, flicking her ears. _The two of them saved us!_

"Even if it was Blue, he wouldn't have done anything. He only preys on the pretty girls," Leaf said with a sad sigh.

"Oh not that again Leaf! You are beautiful! Once a day, a man asks me where you are…"

"While you are asked a hundred times a day if you're seeing anyone," Leaf teased.

"Urgh! But still, you have to be careful. It's dangerous out there. They say even the Witch of the Waste is back on the prowl," Yellow said.

_Yeah, and her Purugly is as vicious as they come, _Gloss added to her sister.

_Humph, _Vesper said, scratching her ear with her hind leg. _I'm not that concern with that, probably rumors._

"Hey, Yellow," a chef called from the door way. "The éclairs are done!"

"'Kay, be in in a sec," she said with a smile.

"Well, we better go," Leaf said standing up with Vesper. "I just wanted to see how you're doing."

Yellow and Gloss escorted their sisters to the door. Yellow waved at someone she recognized before turning serious, grabbing Leaf's hands again.

"Now Leaf! Are you really going to spend the rest of your life in that hat shop?"

_Please Vesp, see some reason, _Gloss expressed.

"That shop meant everything to Father," Leaf said before pulling on a smile. "Besides, I'm the eldest. I don't mind."

_Someone has to keep an eye on things there, _Vesper said.

"I'm not asking what Father would have wanted, Leaf! I'm asking what you want," Yellow said.

_Please Vesper, there's so much more to life than just making hats all day!_

"Well…" Leaf said her thoughts trailing elsewhere. She was good at making hats, but she did want to start over sometimes, maybe open up a flower shop in another town, just for something different. Vesper was thinking along the same lines.

"See you Yellow!" _Bye Gloss! _A man and his Mightyena walked by, causing said two to become distracted, offering Leaf and Vesper the chance they needed.

"See you soon, Yellow," Leaf called as she walked away.

"It's your life Leaf! Live it yourself for a change!"

_If only it was that easy, _Leaf and Vesper thought at the same time.

The two walked down the street, unaware that just behind a building, a hand drawn litter sat. A pair of human-like creatures stood there, one leaning against the little carriage while the other was bent in unnatural fashion. The door opened and a cane set a little golden jar onto the pavement, before tapping the top and opening it. A tiny stream of miniature Muks and Grimers swept up from the cracks and poured in before the top closed. The hooked cane picked it up and withdrew, the door closing behind it. A knock sounded and the bears straightened up. They picked up the carriage before turning around and walking away.

Back on the bus, Leaf and Vesper stared back at the city, wondering about the wizard and the Flareon.

Soon, their stop was there and they hopped of, before continuing onwards to the shop in the darkened streets. Leaf reached the shop and unlocked the door, letting Vesper and herself in. After heading inside, she locked the door before stowing the key in her pocket. She then took off her hat and headed for the counter. There, she lit the lamp with a match and the room lit up. She and Vesper were heading to the courtyard when the doorbell tinkled.

Leaf and Vesper turned around, confused. Standing in the shop was a large woman dressed in a black dress and fur with a hat that had a fur trim. Her throat was wide and it held a pink string of jewels. By her side, a large grey cat Pokémon, a Purugly, was looking at Vesper with yellow eyes full of amusement, a collar of purple and gold on its neck.

"I'm sorry ma'am," Leaf said. "But the shop is closed. I could have sworn I had locked the door…"

_Please come back again tomorrow. We'll have even more hats then, _Vesper said.

The woman gazed around, taking every inch, every handmade hat created with care.

"What a tacky shop, full of tacky little hats," she said with a smirk. "And yet…" she trailed off, turning to face Leaf. "You're by far the tackiest thing here."

_With you as a close second, _the Purugly meowed nastily to Vesper.

Leaf's eyes narrowed. She knew she wasn't pretty, but she wasn't tacky. She also had pride in the hats she made and she wasn't going to let this woman tell her otherwise.

"I'm afraid you'll have to leave now ma'am," Leaf said, walking past her. "This is a simple shop and if you don't see anything you like…" Leaf opened the door and started at the woman. "I suggest you leave now, the door is right here. Don't let it hit you on your way out."

_And get pick up your trash on your way out too, _Vesper added from her place at Leaf's side.

The woman laughed slightly. "To stand up to the Witch of the Waste…"

_And her Pokémon, _the Purugly added with a smirk.

"Now that's either brave or foolish."

"The Witch of the Waste!" Leaf gasped in surprise.

She heard a noise and turned to gasp, the two henchmen leering at her, with only masks for faces. The Witch seemed to glide across the shop's floor, as did the Purugly, and the two swept right through Leaf and Vesper, the two gasping and bending down.

The Witch turned to look at the two. "The best part of that spell is that you can't tell anyone. My regards to Blue."

_And to Aiden, _Purugly stated. They laughed before the door closed. A little bit later, the hand carriage was being led away.

Back in the hat shop, Leaf looked down to see her fallen hat. "Oh dear," she whispered, bending down to pick it up. She froze when she noticed her hand was a deep brown color while her wrist blended between her hand and her cream colored arm. She checked her other hand which was the same.

"Vesper!" she cried, searching for her Eevee.

"_Leaf! You look so different!"_ a voice cried.

Leaf looked down and saw a dog Pokémon, pitch black with red eyes and yellow rings in her fur.

"Vesper! You Evolved into an Umbreon!"

"_I did?! But…Leaf, you've change so much!"_

"Why can I hear you?" Leaf asked in confusion.

"_I don't know! Just check out your reflection!"_

Leaf raced over to the mirror, the now Umbreon Vesper at her side, and looked at her reflection. She nearly fell over by what she saw. She was the same height, but her hair was a cream with leaf-green streaks. A pair of leaf-like ears extended from where her normal ears should have been. A tail, shaped like a leaf, appeared from behind her. Her eyes were the only same feature in her otherwise alien face.

"I…Turned into a Leafeon!" Leaf cried. "We've got to stay calm!" She cried. She and Vesper headed for the counter, before turning around and going back to the mirror.

Nervously, Leaf peeked and caught sight of herself again, as did Vesper. They were unchanged and the two then headed outside into the courtyard.

"Calm down Leaf," she told herself. "It's just a dream," she told Vesper as the two paced about. "Just stay calm, don't panic, everything will be okay…"

"_Oh boy this sucks, I didn't want to evolve,"_ Vesper rumbled angrily. But she was more concerned about Leaf, who was freaking out completely.

"Oh! Vesper this is so bad! Let's just go upstairs and try to sleep, okay? If this is a dream, everything will be all better in the morning."

"_And if it isn't…?"_

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Leaf decided.

The two then raced up the steps and rushed into the bedroom, locking the door before flinging themselves onto the bed. Sobs escaped Leah and the two lay there for a while before drifting off into sleep.

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**Author's Note: Okay! First chapter done! To past readers, you all know I'm in a Studio Ghibli writing phase and I'm really enjoys it so far. But onto the important part…**

**Who were the wizard and his Flareon? Why did the Witch of the Waste and the Purugly target Leaf and Vesper? Why a Leafeon and Umbreon? Find out soon enough! Review for heart, soul, and spirit!**


	2. Start of a Journey

**Blue's Moving Castle**

**Welcome back everyone! Okay, I don't own Pokémon or Howl's Moving Castle, so let's move onto the summary before the fanfic!**

**Summary: Leaf and Vesper, her Eevee, set out from their hat shop to the bakery to visit their sisters when they are stopped by some soldiers. A man and his Flareon assist them before escorting them for a bit, Muks and Grimers following them. Sorry that they got the two girls "involved", the man and his Flareon help Leaf and Vesper escape by letting them walk through the air. After dropping them off at the bakery, the man and Flareon disappear, Yellow, Leaf's sister, coming to question her about what just happened. After a heart-to-heart with their sisters, Leaf and Vesper head back to the shop, unaware that they are being followed. After locking up shop, a woman and her Purugly enter the shop, dismissing Leaf and Vesper. Angered, they tell the two to leave, making them smirk, revealing that the woman is the Witch of the Waste with her Pokémon. They then cast a spell of Leaf and Vesper, turning the girl into a human-Leafeon mix and Vesper evolving into an Umbreon against her will. The two, in tears and fear, then race to their room, hoping it is all a dream. Let's see what happens next!**

**Chapter 2: Start of a Journey**

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Leaf had woken at the break of dawn and sat on her bed as the sunlight poured into her room. Her ears soaked in the sunlight and she felt energy flowing through her body, her body now functioning with photosynthesis. Vesper sat on her lap, content to lay there as Leaf stroked her pelt. They were still the same and they just sat there in silence, thinking about what they could do.

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In the street in front of the hat shop, a car pulled up and a woman exited. She had Yellow's golden hair and glossy brown eyes. A lovely Vaporeon stood beside her, radiant in its blue glory.

Inside the hat shop, the girls were gossiping happily as they worked when the door opened.

"Looks who's back~" the woman cried happily, wearing a hat decorated with Honchkrow feathers and miniature fake Pidgeys.

"You're back!"

"Welcome back Mrs. Verde!

"Oh wow! Look at you!"

"What do you think?" the woman asked, twirling about. "This is all the range in Kingsbury."

"It's beautiful," the girl with brown braids said perkily.

"I know! I'm sure our customers will love it! Leaf!" she called, heading for Leaf's work room, only to find it empty. "Leaf?"

"I'm afraid your daughter hasn't come down stairs at all, ma'am."

"That's strange, I hope she's okay." Mrs. Verde said, heading for the courtyard, the Vaporeon in tow.

_And Vesper?_ The Vaporeon called back to the room.

_She hasn't come down either, Ripple, _a Mareep said.

_Oh my poor firstborn, I hope she's not ill._

After a few moments, Mrs. Verde and Ripple had reached Leaf's door.

"Leaf?" Her mother called, knocking on it. She tried to open it, the door rattling slightly. "Leaf!"

_Vesper, darling, are you okay?_

"Mother don't come in!" Leaf called out in a hoarse voice. "I've caught a terrible cold and I think I gave it to Vesper. I don't want you to get sick too."

"Oh, honey, is there anything I can do?" her mother called.

"No, just go on ahead. I'll be better in a few days," Leaf called through the closed door, a blanket wrapped around herself.

_Vesper, can I get you something?_

_No Mother, I just want to sleep, _Vesper called out in the same hoarse voice. It wasn't a complete lie. Since evolving, she had spent much of the night awake and she felt really tired.

"Okay Leaf, just get better okay?"

_Feel better Vesper._

After waiting a bit, Leaf rose up from her bed, shedding her blanket, Vesper leaping up too. They went to the small mirror Leaf had on her tiny vanity set. Leaf peaked in and looked at her reflection, as did Vesper.

"You know, it isn't as bad as I thought," she said with a smile, stroking her brown and green ears.

"Me either," Vesper said, looking at her black and yellow fur.

"At least I'm not full Pokémon, not that there's anything wrong with that," Leaf added, worried she had insulted Vesper.

"None taken."

A burst of laughter echoed from the work room, reminding the pair of everything else.

"But we can't stay here, not looking like this," Leaf said sadly. Vesper nodded.

After a while, with Leaf packing up her bag, a magic one her father had given her to store as many things as she needed, she and Vesper stepped out of her bed room stealthily. Leaf had placed a hat on over her ears, at first, but it had been too uncomfortable. She had then put in some holes for them to poke through. They added a nice look in her hat. Green hair, as well as blonde, wasn't too standout-ish so she let that fall down still, her tail tucked in under her dress. She could only hope she and Vesper weren't spotted.

"Here we go," she whispered to Vesper who nodded.

Leaf tiptoed through the halls silently, Vesper at her side. Soon, Leaf was in the kitchen, plucking out a loaf of bread, some cheese, and a few apples and slipping them in her bag, along with a few bottle of water. She and Vesper then headed out the side door, careful not to make a ruckus.

Outside, Leaf headed down the empty little alley, with snippets of conversations from the street reaching her enhanced ears.

"Hey look at this!"

"Says that their Prince has gone missing and they're blaming us."

"You're kidding right?"

"No look, it says there's going to be a war."

"Not another!"

"Yeah, let's hope the Prince turns up soon."

"The Prince missing?" Vesper asked Leaf, worried.

"Not war, not so soon again," the human said in a hushed voice.

Indeed, the girl knew about war and what it brought. It had been war that had taken away her father from her, along with Vesper's father, a Glaceon, too.

The two sighed before continuing onwards. They had other problems to deal with.

In the market, Leaf had stopped a small cart, drawn by Stantler and full of hay, from leaving.

"Sure there's some room for you and the Umbreon in the back," the kind farmer told her, his Stoutlad sitting beside him, "But where are you headed?"

"Just a little ways farther than where you're going," Leaf replied.

And so, that's how the pair left the city, watching it grow farther from their spot in the cart.

"You're crazy miss!" a youth shouted at her as Leaf and Vesper headed into the Waste later. "There's nothing but witches and wizards out there!"

"Thanks for the tip! I'll keep that in mind!" she called back, her Dark-type following her feet.

An hour's journey away from the small farm, Leaf and Vesper had stopped for lunch. Leaf was able to eat a bit through photosynthesis, but not enough. She chewed on her bread and cheese, staring back the way they had come while Vesper munched on an apple slice.

"It's no good," Leaf noted.

"_I can still see the town,"_ Vesper agreed.

"Yeah, here I was hoping being a Pokémon made you more energetic…But then, I'm not a real Pokémon huh?"

"_Still you'd think being a Grass-type gave you lots of energy,"_ Vesper said.

A loud rustling noise could be heard and Leaf looked up, her eyes widened with surprise. A Cacturne was stuck to a tree, his needle covered back stuck onto the trunk of the tree while he attempted to pull himself free. A Houndoom was trapped inside a mess of brambles, snarling as he tried to fight his way out.

"Oh dear!" Leaf cried, heading towards the pair. "Are you both okay?"

The Cacturne looked up from his position as he tried to move away. His yellow eyes widened when he saw a girl with cream and green hair hurrying towards him. The Houndoom shot him a look as Vesper landed in front of him

"How on earth did you two get stuck?" Leaf asked the Cacturne, who shrugged slightly, still surprised by her appearance.

"Do you need a hand?" she asked him. He nodded earnestly. "Okay…Let me go find a branch, okay? Vesper, try to untangle the Houndoom okay?"

The Pokémon nodded and began to nip at the vines that kept the other Pokémon trapped while Leaf rushed over to a bush and grasped a long branch. She pulled it out with some difficulty before returning to the Cacturne's side.

"Okay, this might hurt a bit," she cautioned as she wedged the stick between the Cacturne's back and the tree. She began to apply force onto the branch. Slowly, the Cacturne was being pushed away from the tree trunk, until finally he was shoved away and Leaf's branch broke. He tumbled to the ground while Leaf stumbled back a bit, clutching her shattered stick.

"You okay?" she asked him. He rubbed his head and nodded before he stood back up. Vesper had managed to untangle the Houndoom and she went back to Leaf's side while the Fire-Dark type walked to the Cacturne. The two looked at their rescuers and gave a quick bow.

"No need to thank us, just glad you're okay," Leaf said with a smile.

"_Yeah, hope you guys have a good day," _Vesper agreed.

"Well, see you both," Leaf said waving before she and Vesper headed away, intent on traveling far away from the city, leaving the two Pokémon behind them still surprised by what had just taken place. The Cacturne gave a sigh as he watched the girl disappear over a hill his companion giving a howl.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A while later, Leaf and Vesper were still walking, despite the cold winds and the chilling rain that had begun to fall. Leaf winced.

"I have no idea being a Grass-type made you susceptible to sudden changes in the weather," she muttered to Vesper.

"_Even to me, it's still cold,"_ the Dark-type rumbled to her Trainer.

Suddenly, the rain stopped, or at least, it stopped landing on Leaf and Vesper. Leaf glanced up to see an umbrella above her head, held by a green stump-like hand. It was the Cacturne and the Houndoom again.

"Oh thank you," Leaf said to the Grass-Dark type, who smiled and began to walk with her. "It's just what we needed. How did you ever end up on that tree in the first place?"

The Cacturne shrugged and gestured o his mouth.

"Oh, you're a mute, aren't you?"

A nod from the Cacturne, with a wave at the Houndoom who walked with Vesper.

"Oh both of you, I'm so sorry. But, do you two know any places where we could rest until the rains over?"

The Cacturne frowned for a moment, then smiled and nodded. He passed the umbrella to Leaf before he and the Houndoom ran off. Leaf watched them for a moment before continuing to climb.

"_That's nice of them," _Vesper said to Leaf.

"Yes…Hold on a sec…" Leaf said tilting her head upwards in surprise. A low drone cold be heard and through the clouds came a battleship. "War's closer than we'd have thought," she whispered as it disappeared again. Leaf sighed and picked up the pace.

"_Wait…Smell that? Someone's got a fire going," _Vesper said sniffing the wet air.

"Let's go then," Leaf said walking forward.

A loud creaking sound could be heard and Leaf and Vesper froze. In fount of them, moving up a small hill, a large, moving mechanical wonder appeared in front of them Leaf's eyes widened while Vesper's jaw dropped. The Cacturne and Houndoom raced up to them, smiling happily. The Cacturne grabbed Leaf's hand and led her forward, towards the hulking building.

"You're joking right? I said we needed a placed to stay. I didn't mean Blue's Castle," Leaf said in shock.

Above them, the castle paused and released a belched of smoke. The mechanical mouth of the building let out a groan.

"And they call this a castle," Leaf said, watching it in wonder.

"_More like a dump," _Vesper agreed.

The building started to move, with the small group right under it.

"Yikes!" Leaf said, she and the Cacturne moving out of the way or a metal limb. He grasped Leaf's hand and pointed at the belly of the machine building. There was a small stone balcony of sorts, with a railing and a door.

"Is that the entrance?" Leaf asked the Cacturne who nodded. "Thank you!" she said to him as she and Vesper gave chase to the building. Leaf made a grab at the railing as Vesper landed on it. "Hold still! Are you going to let me in or not?" Leaf questioned when the building gave a lurch and swept under her feet. Her green hat was torn loose and flew away her green ears waving in the wind. "Oh no! My hat!" Leaf cried as it blew away, her long hair flowing in the wind.

The Cacturne ran off, chasing the hat before he caught it. He spun around and raced back, reaching his arm out to Leaf.

"Oh! Thank you," she said taking it in her hands.

The Cacturne smiled before becoming shocked. He gestured to her ears.

"Oh…Right, I'm a Pokémon human hybrid," Leaf said. "But how I got this way would take a while." Leaf stood up and waved to the Cacturne, Vesper waving a paw at the Houndoom. "Anyways, it was nice meeting you both! Thank you again for all your help! Good bye Cacturne!"

"_Goodbye Houndoom!" _Vesper shouted.

The Cacturne waved while the Houndoom let out a howl. Both girls turned to the door and opened it, stepping inside into the warmth of a blazing fire.

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**All done folks! That's the end of this chapter! Two chapter in a night, not too bad. I'm glad that people are going to be reading this, thanks to long time readers for checking this fanfic out. **

**Wondering who the Cacturne is? Don't worry that will be addressed soon enough. Just keep reading to find out about what's going to happen to Leaf and Vesper.**


	3. The Castle

**Blue's Moving Castle Lain**

**Okay, I have other fanfictions to work on as well as school stuff, so it might be awhile before I update again. But here's hoping I can update soon enough! Disclaimer time! I don't own Pokémon or Howl's Moving Castle; they belong to Nintendo and Studio Ghibli respectively.**

**Summary: Leaf and Vesper are still the same and they have to sneak out past their mothers' noses to leave the hat shop. From there, they head out of town and into the Waste. There, they help out a trapped Cacturne and Houndoom, the two eager to help out the pair, first giving them an umbrella and then leading them to Blue's Castle. Leaf's hat blows off and the Cacturne retrieves it for her and is surprised by her appearance, if only slightly. The two girls wave to their new friends before entering the castle. Now…Onto the fanfic!**

**Note: As you can guess, Leaf turned into a Grass-type because of her name while "Vesper" means night, which is why she's an Umbreon.**

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Leaf and Vesper carefully walked up the short flight of stairs that led upwards. She peeked around, wary of anything. The room was empty of all life. It was a stone room with unadorned, grey walls and a wooden table with a set of chairs. The table was covered messily with books, charts, and other items, even spilled potions. A bit of grime was underneath the table and a pile of dirty plates were in a tiled corner with a sink. Cobwebs were tucked in the corners of the room and even in plain sight. It was obvious that no one had cleaned this room in a long time.

"_What a dump," _Vesper said as she and Leaf walked forward.

"Yes, when I think of a castle, this isn't what I picture," Leaf agreed. She set her bag down before sitting down in a lone chair that was placed in front of dimly lit fire. She held out her hands, noticing that the fire was little more than an orange glob that was tucked behind a stick of wood. She reached over to the nearby wood pile and hefted two logs onto it, causing the fire to swell a bit.

Leaf sighed and Vesper hopped onto her lap, both girls tired by what had happened in the day.

"Still, the nice thing about being a Pokémon is that you have senses that alert you to everything," Leaf whispered as she stared sleepily into the flames.

This might not have been quite true as she didn't stir at all as the flames grew bigger and a set of eyes appeared and looked at her. She merely blinked and was about to fall asleep when a voice began to talk to her.

"Hey, you aren't a real Leafeon are you?" the fire asked her as a mouth showed up. "Because you're way too tall and humanoid, plus the eye color is off. Then so, you must have one nasty curse on you lady. I don't envy you there at all, lady. Curses are very difficult to break, and you'll have a hard time breaking that one. You too kid," he said to Vesper.

Leaf's eyes widened and she leaned forward, Vesper awake now too. "The fire spoke?"

"Let me guess, the curse won't let you talk about it right? And yes, I'm talking to you lady."

"Are you Blue?" Leaf asked, feeling foolish.

"No, I'm an incredibly powerful fire-demon named Calcifer," the fire said, letting a wave of fire out of his mouth. "I just like to do that sometimes," he told the awed girl and Vesper. Now that Leaf could see him better, Calcifer had the look a bit of a Slugma, but not totally, more like the loose flames erupting from a Fire-type's body.

"You're a fire-demon?" Leaf asked, excitement growing. "Then you should be able to break our spells!" Vesper grinned happily.

"Maybe, maybe not," he said. "Hey listen, if you break the curse that's on me, I'll break the ones on you two! I'm offering a two for one for you girls, ya' know."

Leaf was suspicious. When someone offers you a deal too good to be true, it's never a good idea to except it. "If you're a demon," Leaf said. "How do we know to trust you? You promise to help us if we help you?"

"Ah…I don't know miss, demons don't make promises," Calcifer answered honestly.

"Then go find someone else," Leaf said, sinking back into her chair, Vesper leaning backwards.

"Hey! Come on! You should feel sorry for me!" Calcifer cried, two fiery appendages forming from his body, clasping them in a begging way to Leaf. "That _spell _keeps me stuck in this castle and Blue treat me like a slave! It burns me up! Gotta keep the water hot, the rooms warm…"

He rambled off as Leaf sighed. "That's right…" her voice trailed off as exhaustion settled into her very self.

"Look, if you can break this _thing _I have with Blue, then you can break my spell on me and then I can easily break the spells that are on you both! Wadya' say?"

_Please say yes, please say yes, _he begged in his thoughts.

"It's a deal," Leaf whispered before falling asleep where she sat, Vesper curled up already deep in dreams.

"Huh? Hey, lady?" Calcifer asked. He wasn't sure if it was a promise, as the girl and her partner had passed out. "Damn it all to high heaven…Hey, lady?" Calcifer tried to move forwards to her, but he was lacking any suitable burning supplies. He sighed and withdrew to his log. "Some help you two are going to be…"

The castle continued to move late into the night.

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In the harbor of a great town, a massive fleet of well-built ships were departing into the ocean, heading out for war. A great fanfare was occurring, hundreds of people cheering as the ships left, believing they'd be back soon.

A gentleman in a black suit with a sash and a mustache, with his Persian, headed for a yellow building not far from the wharf, the sign above it reading, "The Great Wizard Jenkins" on it with black letters. He knocked on the doors.

Inside the castle, Leaf woke up to the sound of knocking, her hat lying on the ground behind her, her bag at her feet. "Huh?" she asked, confused as to where she was. She found it too warm to be outside or in her bed back at the hat shop and she was a bit stiff. She then remembered she was in Blue's castle and she had spent the night sleeping on a chair, Vesper in lap. She looked up and around, her ears twitching slightly. Vesper yawned and stretched in Leaf's lap before gazing around.

Her hyper sensitive ears heard the sound of running feet and paws and she quickly pretended to be asleep as a little boy, about eight or nine with black spiky hair and brown eyes, ran down the stairs, a little Pichu on his shoulder.

"Huh?" he remarked as he paused to look at the strange woman with the Pokémon ears with the Umbreon. "Who's this lady?" he asked Calcifer.

"_And her Umbreon?" _the Pichu questioned.

The knocking continued. "Viridian City door," Calcifer replied.

"How'd she even get in here?" the boy asked as he ran over to the table. Leaf cracked open an eye while Vesper lifted an ear, intent on hearing every word she could. The boy took a blue cloak off the table and put it on, tying it into a knot around his throat. He pulled the hood on and swept a hand over his face, creating a long grey beard and giving his face a few wrinkles. His Pichu tapped an amulet that dangled from his throat and he turned into an ancient Raichu, still on the boy's shoulders. The two of them trudged to the door.

"Stand by," the boy said in a gruff tone. He placed hand on the door knob and a little circular disk attached the wall spun, changing from green to blue. The window filled with light as an image changed. The boy opened the door to find the man with his Persian. "Hello Mr. Mayor."

"Good morning, sir," the mayor said, "Is the great wizard Jenkins at home?"

"I'm afraid my master is not here at the moment, I speak in his absence," the boy said.

"An invitation from his Majesty the King. The time for war is upon us. His Majesty states that all witches and wizards are to aid in our homeland. Wizard Jenkins must report to the castle immediately."

"I will let my master know," the boy said, accepting the letter from the mayor before bowing and closing the door. He turned to find Leaf standing up, feeding Calcifer with wood.

"I can't believe it's come to this," Leaf whispered sadly.

"_Me either," _Vesper said with a sigh, watching the fire-demon climb over the logs.

"Who are you lady?" the boy asked as he climbed up the stairs, note in hand. "How'd you even get in here?"

"Calcifer let me in," Leaf said with a smile at the demon.

"I did not!" he shouted to the boy. "She just wandered in here from the Waste!"

"She's from the Waste?" the boy asked, turning back to normal. "How do we know she isn't a witch?"

"Do you really think I'd let a witch in here?" Calcifer asked, his pride wounded. Leaf let out a laugh. Another knock came from the door. "Viridian City door again."

The boy looked up from a book he had just placed the letter in. "Again? Must be a customer." He and the Pichu shifted to their older forms again. "Stand by," he said opening the door. A little girl and her Skitty stood there. "Yes my child?"

"My mommy sent me to pick up a spell."

"Ah yes! It's ready, follow me please," the boy said, climbing up the stairs. "Just keep your mouth shut lady," he whispered to Leaf.

While he went off to the crowded shelves, the girl and the Skitty looked at Leaf and Vesper in surprise.

"Do you work here?"

"Uh…Just started," Leaf lied to the girl.

"How'd you get those ears?" she asked, gazing at them in wonder.

"Er…I was fiddling with some potions a while ago." Leaf said, her ear flicking slightly.

"Really?" the girl asked her eyes widen. The Skitty's mouth was open in shock.

"Yeah, it was a stupid thing on my part, so don't play around with potions that a wizard didn't prescribe and even then be careful."

The girl nodded solemnly and she accepted the vial from the boy with care.

"I hope your mother feels better," the boy said, walking the girl to the door. As soon as she left another series of knocks sounded. "Dang…Everyone is stopping by."

"This time, its Saffron City," Calcifer called as the dial spun again, this time onto a yellow one.

"Hello sir," a man said, standing on the stoop.

"Hello," the boy, disguised as an old man still, said in return.

"I was told to deliver this to the wizard Oak. It's an invitation from the king," the man said, holding out an envelope out that was identical to the one the boy had accepted just a few minutes ago. "The country is at war and all witches and wizards must aid for our homeland."

"I'll see to it that my master gets this as soon as he returns," the boy said before he closed the door. He and the Pichu ran up to Calcifer's hearth and stuck out the envelope.

"Want a tasty letter from the king, Cal?" the boy asked, waving it in his face.

Calcifer made a slight face. "Are you nuts? I wouldn't put it past them to cover those things with poisons or something to infect the wizard!" He looked at it meaningfully. "But…I'll risk it." The boy tossed the letter into Calcifer's open mouth and the fire-demon chewed it.

"Um…" Leaf said, drawing their attentions. "I'm sorry to ask but…"

"Hey! You still haven't answered by question, who are you? Are you a witch?" the boy asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"_Same applies to you, Umbreon!" _the Pichu shouted to Vesper.

"Oh no, I'm not a witch. If I was, I wouldn't look like this," she said, pointing to her ears.

"Really?" The boy asked, crossing his arms.

"Really, if I was one I would be back to normal."

"So…The potion stuff is true?"

"Ah no, I just told the girl that so she wouldn't play with whatever was in that bottle. This would take a while to explain. But please, how did that door open up to Viridian City and Saffron City? There miles away from Cerulean City," Leaf said surprised.

"She is so not a witch," the boy said. "The castle's magic, lady. It allows us to connect anywhere we want or need. Any basic witch or wizard knows the spell."

"_She could just be playing dumb," _the Pichu said warily, glaring at Leaf slightly.

WHAM!

Vesper stood over the K.O. Pichu, her tail glowing silver slightly. She sighed. _"Accuse my Trainer of being either a witch or a liar again; I won't hesitate to break your skull." _Vesper then shook her head calmly and padding over to Leaf.

"Sorry about Vesper," Leaf said, bending over to the Pichu, picking him up as he rubbed his sore head slightly. "She's a little upset about everything that's been going lately."

The Pichu opened his eyes and found himself in the girl's arms as she wrapped a bandage around his slightly bleeding ear.

"That should do it," Leaf said, settling the Pichu into the boy's arms. "Feel better, 'kay?"

The Pichu nodded as the boy grinned. "I know you're not a witch but…Who are you though?"

"I'm the new…House cleaner?" Leaf lied. "C-Calcifer hired me, he was complaining about the mess."

"A Leafeon-hybrid for a house cleaner? That's cool! You don't look like any of the picture's I've seen in Master Blue's books," the boy said. A lite rumble came from his stomach. "Man I'm starving."

The boy walked over to a cabinet covered in food and he pulled open a drawer. The Pichu removed a loaf of bread while the boy grabbed a plate of cheese and shoved the drawer closed.

Leaf sighed in relief, glancing around for something to feed this kid. She saw a carton of eggs and a pack of bacon. "Hey, wouldn't you like some bacon and eggs?"

"Yeah, but we can't use the fire. Master Blue isn't here," the boy said. He sat down at the table. "Anyways, I'm Ash and this is Inazuma. I get Miss-Cranky Puss's name is Vesper, but you are you?"

Vesper hissed slightly at that remark while Leaf smiled. "Please call me Leaf, okay? Could you clean the table off for me? I'll make something. I can cook," Leaf said, pulling a frying pan and a spatula from their hooks on the wall.

"It doesn't matter if you can cook," Ash told her as she moved towards the hearth. "Calcifer only listens to Master Blue."

"_And certainly not a girl with an abusive Umbreon," _Inazuma added as he tore into a chunk of bread.

Vesper hissed slightly, but Leaf ignored it. She was standing in front of Calcifer now, who looked slightly mad, and set the frying pan down. "Alright Calcifer, let's get cooking!"

"I DON'T COOK!" he shouted in her face. "I'm a very scary, powerful fire-demon!" He stuck his tongue out at her.

"_That isn't even a good face,"_ Vesper told him, making her own.

"Listen, Leaf, right? Ash's right, I only work for Blue," Calcifer said.

Leaf bent down and held a frying pan over the flames. Calcifer lowered himself, making the fire become pretty cold. "Please Calcifer; can't you give me a hand?"

Calcifer looked at her then smirked. His flame arms clapped together, giving her "a hand".

"_Help out my Trainer or I'll fill a nice cold bucket of water for you," _Vesper sang sweetly, shoving a steel bucket into the sink. Calcifer's eyes widened as she turned on the faucet and water gushed down into the bucket.

"She's insane!" he remarked to Leaf.

"_Na-uh! My mom had me tested!" _Vesper said, shutting off the water and leaping onto Leaf's shoulder. She leaned in closer to Calcifer and whispered, _"Besides….Why don't I get mention that great deal you offered Leaf and me to Blue? Hmmm?"_

Calcifer eyes widened. "Stupid me…I _never _should have let you two in!" he shouted loudly.

Leaf frowned, it wasn't getting them anywhere. "Tell you what, I'll give you an egg, too. How does that sound?"

Calcifer frowned in thought. He did want that egg…and for Blue not to find out about that bargain. "Fine," he said. "Only 'cause you're good at bribery."

Leaf smiled and pressed the frying pan over Calcifer. After a while, he had turned yellow and blue and Leaf added some bacon.

"Thanks Cal, you're a good fire," Leaf told him, moving the bacon around with the spatula.

"Here's another curse to you two," Calcifer grumbled. "May all your bacon burn."

"_Nice try, Leaf's mom did a lot of "experimenting" when we were kids, we've got cast-iron stomachs," _Vesper said.

"Ash, can you be a dear and pass me that bucket and a kettle? I'll make us some tea."

"Don't do it!" Calcifer cried to the boy, fearful that the Umbreon was going to make good on her promise. "Ash! Don't get the kettle! Come on! Why should you listen to her?"

Ash and Inazuma stared in awe at the young woman as she was able to get Calcifer to listen to her, (though he should have thought to have tried bribery and threatening). "Sure," he said running to pick up the bucket in the sink while the Pichu scampered off to a pile of unwashed dishes. The little Electric-type climbed to the top of the wobbly pile, Vesper beneath him, concerned. Several plates fell off and Vesper rushed around, stacking each one on the top of her head to prevent it from smashing. She set the stack of plates aside with a sigh.

BONG!

Vesper fell to the ground out cold, a little bump showing from where the copper kettle had crashed into her skull. Inazuma had dropped into accidently on her head, he nearly wailed in horror. Now what was she going to do to him? Vesper woke up and rubbed a paw on her head, ignoring Calcifer's amused laughter, and she picked up the kettle in her mouth and trotted over to Leaf's side. Inazuma hopped onto Ash's shoulder as he brought Leaf the pot.

"Thanks, all four of you," Leaf said as Ash poured the water, a good distance from Calcifer, into the kettle. Leaf hung it above the flames and went back to attending to the food.

Ash and Inazuma grinned at the praise as they shoved books around, stacking them up on the table while Vesper carefully carried potions over to the other side. The door dial changed to black, but Calcifer kept quiet, ashamed for listening to another human, (and a girl at that, he added in his mind).

Ash's head shot up. "Master Blue is back!" he cried, heading for the door as it opened, Inazuma bounding after him.

Leaf kept cooking the food and watching the kettle, absorbed in her work, just like at the hat shop. She didn't bother to look up and neither did Vesper. The wizard Blue must have walked in while Leaf blew a lock of yellowish-cream and green hair from her face, her hands full.

"Master Blue! Master Blue!" Ash shouted, tackling the man.

"_Aiden! Aiden!" _Inazuma cried happily, dancing around a four-legged Pokémon.

"Whoa!" a man in a white shirt, black pants, and a jacket said as he almost fell, only by holding out a hand in the air keeping them from falling as a wind pushed them back up. "What's wrong Ash? You've never been this excited to see me-"

He abruptly stopped as he caught sight of the Leafeon-hybrid that stood with an Umbreon on her shoulder, using Calcifer to cook, her back turned to him. He could see the slight swishing of a tail beneath her dress. The red Pokémon besides him noted the Dark-type as she leaned closer and made a playful face to Calcifer, making the fire-demon groan, but a slight smile on his fiery face. The girl let out a lite laugh, pleased to find Vesper getting along with him.

"Well…Calcifer you're being very obedient today, letting this woman use your flames," the man noted as he went up to the hearth.

"HEY! This Umbreon was bullying me! And the girl's bribing me," he shouted.

"You don't have to accept it," Leaf told him, his egg held out by the spatula.

"…Just give me the damn egg," he rumbled to her. She tossed it into his open mouth and he chewed on it contently.

"A girl with spunk huh? Not just anybody can make Calcifer listen to them," the blonde man remarked to Leaf.

Leaf smiled and glanced up, then she froze. Standing beside her was the wizard she had met two days ago, the one who had gotten her into all of this. Vesper hissed at him and Aiden, the Flareon, who was perched on his shoulder.

_You have got to be kidding me, _Leaf and Vesper both thought.

Leaf was worried. What if he recognized her? No, thanks to the Witch of the Waste, she didn't have to worry about that. Still, it was terrifying to her learning that the man who had helped her was indeed the Wizard Blue. She ducked her head back and busied herself with the frying pan.

"And you are…who?" Blue asked, seemingly confirming Leaf's suspicions.

"Oh…I'm Leaf," she said, her eyes on the pan as it shook in her grasp. "I'm the new cleaning lady. I just started today."

"_Vesper," _the Dark-type said dismissively as she turned her back to the pair and watched the fire carefully.

"Can you pass that?" Blue asked, nodding to the skillet. Leaf passed it quickly; worried he'd use it as a weapon. Instead, he turned to Calcifer and took up the cooking. "I don't think Calcifer would stand you using him to cook any longer. Hand me some more bacon and six more eggs."

Leaf quickly grabbed the ingredients and passed them over. Blue deftly cracked one egg against the side of the pan as Calcifer opened his mouth. Blue tossed the shell into the fire-demon's mouth. He munched happily as Blue fried some more bacon. The wizard then tossed him the shells of the previous eggs and Calcifer swallowed them without complaint.

"_He'll eat anything, huh?" _Vesper whispered to Leaf.

"I guess so," she said softly.

"So…Who hired you?" Blue asked Leaf, not glancing up. Aiden however, kept an eye on her.

"Calcifer…Sort of hired me…He was complaining about the mess," Leaf said, a scathing look around the messy room. "…I have a feeling I've got my work cut out for me."

"Ash! Get the plates." Blue called as he turned around and headed for the table, the food done. The boy scampered over to the sink and pulled out three semi-clean plates before returning to the table.

Leaf watched in surprise while Calcifer exploded, his flames rising higher. "Hey! You're all going to eat while I do all the work?!"

"_Cry baby," _Vesper said, poking her tongue out at him. He blew her a raspberry.

"Come on Leaf, don't you want some breakfast?" Ash called. Leaf nodded and quickly removed the kettle and brought it over to the table, Calcifer and Vesper engaged in a furious silent battle, mouthing curse words at each other. Vesper mouthed a word that made Calcifer draw back in alarm, making her smirk in victory before turning away.

"Who the hell taught you that?!" he roared.

"_That's for me to know and you to find out," _she replied heading to the table, leaving Calcifer stunned.

Leaf sat down at her spot as Ash passed her two cups of tea.

"Bread, Ash?' Blue asked, passing the boy some slices of bread.

"Thanks," he said, handing one to Inazuma while Blue turned to Leaf and handed her a piece.

"Leaf."

"Oh…Thank you," Leaf muttered softly, setting the slices on her plate.

Ash held out two spoons and a fork to Leaf, who seemed surprise.

"Which one do you want? You only get one 'cause the rest are all dirty," he told her brightly.

Leaf blinked and picked up a spoon, rubbing it on her napkin. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us, huh Vesper?"

"So, friends…Bon appetite," Blue said taking a drink of his tea while Aiden lapped at his own.

"Bon appetite," Ash agreed before digging in. "I can't remember the last time we had a real breakfast," he told Inazuma, who shook his head.

Leaf was surprised to see Ash just wolf the bacon and eggs down. Vesper wasn't too helpful, she herself munched on her own egg, pausing now and again to stick her tongue out to Calcifer, who snarled and stuck his own out. Inazuma giggled a bit while Leaf sighed.

"Vesper," she muttered as she lifted a bit of her egg up on her spoon.

"Leaf," Blue said suddenly, smiling. "What are you hiding in your pockets?"

"Huh?" Leaf asked, confused, her egg landing back on her plate. She felt around in her dress pocket and withdrew a piece of red folded paper. "What's this?"

"_It wasn't there before," _Vesper remarked, lifting her face from her bacon.

"Give it to me," Blue told Leaf.

Leaf shrugged and moved her hand to his. Just when the paper made contact with Blue, it gave a burst of fire and Leaf dropped in surprise. The paper opened up to reveal an image in black ink, a stick figure with a meteor and a heart, with rays like the sun, before the image burned itself into the table.

"Scorch marks!" Ash shouted. "Blue can you read them?"

"That's ancient sorcery, very powerful," he remarked while Aiden glared at it warily.

"_It's from the Witch of the Waste and Cashmere, isn't it?" _Inazuma asked.

"Cashmere?" Leaf asked.

"Her Purugly," Ash explained while Blue bent down to read the image.

"_You who ate a falling star, O heartless man, your heart shall soon belong to me,"_ Blue read aloud. Then he moved his hand forward. "That can't be good for the table."  
He pressed his hand down and moved it slowly over the drawing, flames burning upwards. Leaf and Ash watched in wonder at it while Blue smirked slightly. Soon, he removed his hand and the drawing was gone, not even an imprint.

"It's gone!" Ash exclaimed in surprise.

"The mark's gone, but the spell's still there," Blue said as he got up. "Excuse me, my friends, please finish your meal." He picked up his plate, still full of food and went over to Calcifer, Aiden on his shoulder. "Calcifer, move the castle fifty paces to the west."

Leaf and Ash watched Blue climb the stairs before he called to Calcifer, "And while you're at it, make some hot water for my bath."

This caused Calcifer to grumble as Blue disappeared with Aiden upstairs. Ash and Inazuma turned to Leaf and Vesper, wary of them.

"So…"Ash said, narrowing his eyes at Leaf. "You're not working for the Witch of the Waste are you?"

Leaf drew back in surprise before her eyes got hard. Vesper snarled as Leaf's face turned to anger. "I'd never work for that witch!" she shouted. "She's the one who…"

At that point, Leaf's mouth sealed and she tried to mumble what had gone on in the hat shop, but the Witch's spell was too great. In a fit of anger, Leaf shut her eyes, rose up, and slammed her fists onto the table, items tumbling to the floor or rising upwards, her mouth opening to fire a ball of green energy, surprising Ash and Inazuma. It streaked for Calcifer, who simply opened his mouth and swallowed it, chewing happily.

Leaf's eyes opened, blazing. "If I ever see that Witch again, I'll wring her fat neck!" she declared, sitting down again. She turned to Ash. "Finish your breakfast." She then shoved an egg into her mouth and began to eat again as Vesper gobbled down her portion. Ash and Inazuma started while Calcifer burped.

"Ya' gotta love pissed female hybrids," he said. "Great source of power from attack moves like Leaf's Energy Ball and it takes little to nothing to get them started."

Vesper shot a Shadow Ball at him and he caught it happily.

"See what I mean?" he asked as he chewed.

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**So yeah…Sorry about the long wait, but school's getting tough. I'm going to try to do a Christmas Fanfic and have it ready for Christmas day too. I'll do my best, but no promises just in case.**


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